Convicted cardinal announces he won't be part of conclave to choose Pope Francis' successor

A cardinal who was forced by Pope Francis to resign his Vatican occupation and was aboriginal convicted of embezzlement volition not instrumentality spot successful the upcoming conclave to take the adjacent pope. 

Cardinal Angelo Becciu, 76, announced Tuesday, "Having astatine bosom the bully of the church, which I person served and volition proceed to service with fidelity and love, arsenic good arsenic to lend to the communion and serenity of the conclave, I person decided to obey arsenic I person ever done the volition of Pope Francis not to participate the conclave portion remaining convinced of my innocence." 

Becciu was erstwhile an influential Vatican main of unit who was a starring papal contender himself, according to the Associated Press. But helium fell from grace successful 2020 erstwhile Francis forced him to resign his occupation arsenic caput of the Vatican’s saint-making bureau and his rights arsenic a cardinal due to the fact that of allegations of fiscal misconduct successful narration to the acquisition of a gathering successful London. 

Becciu denied wrongdoing but was enactment connected proceedings successful the Vatican transgression tribunal and convicted of finance-related charges successful December 2023. He is appealing the condemnation and 5 1/2-year situation condemnation and had participated successful the pre-conclave meetings, including connected Monday. 

Cardinal Angelo Becciu greets Cardinal Matteo Zuppi during a consistory ceremonial to elevate Roman Catholic prelates to the fertile of cardinal, astatine Saint Peter's Basilica astatine the Vatican successful August 2022.  (Reuters/Remo Casilli)

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Italian regular Domani reported past week that during the archetypal pre-conclave discussions, Becciu was presented with 2 letters signed by Francis earlier helium died saying helium should not enactment successful the conclave.  

Becciu is nether the property bounds of 80 and technically eligible to vote, but the Vatican’s authoritative statistic database him arsenic a "non-elector." 

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Angelo Becciu presides implicit a Eucharistic liturgy astatine the St. John successful Latheran Basilica successful Rome successful February 2017.  (AP/Gregorio Borgia)

The conclave is acceptable to statesman adjacent Wednesday, while Becciu’s appeal volition unfold successful September. 

Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez of El Salvador, an 82-year-old who is not eligible to ballot successful the conclave, said Tuesday that "I person the content that the conclave volition beryllium short, 2 oregon 3 days, this is the feeling we person wrong the room," according to Reuters. 

Pope Francis appears connected the cardinal lodge of St. Peter's Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the metropolis and the world) blessing astatine the extremity of the Easter wide presided implicit by Cardinal Angelo Comastri successful St. Peter's Square astatine the Vatican connected Sunday, April 20. (AP/Gregorio Borgia))

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The Vatican precocious announced "the Sistine Chapel volition beryllium closed to the nationalist from Monday 28 April 2025 for the requirements of the Conclave." 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.